Nutrition is a trending subject that is all over social media. But not everyone on social media giving nutrition advice is qualified to do so...
With all of this information out there,. it can be confusing on what you should be telling your kids and how to even approach a nutrition conversation. So we thought we would give you some helpful tips.
Healthy Eating; Teenagers/Tweens/Anyone really
It is really important for nutrition conversations to be positive. We can start with things like:
Balance - There is no one food that is good / bad. There is no one food that will make you gain or lose body fat. There is no one food that meets our all aspects of our bodies nutritional needs.
Our foods offer different nutrients that help with different things in the body.
We like to explain the macronutrient roles in ways that are not solely food focused, Examples below:
Protein - Helps keep you strong and fit, so you don't get injured or hurt as much.
Haem protein (animal source) is absorbed in the body easier than non-haem (plant based). So if Vegetarian, ensure your protein supplements have leucine. If they dont include leucine in their profile you can get a leucine supplement to add to this powder.
Carbohydrates - Give us the energy we need for running around and playing with friends. Playing sports and doing trainings and competitions
Carbohydrates are broken in to 'Simple' and 'Complex'. Think of Simple as your more sugary options (fruit, lollies, dried fruit, gels, roll ups) that provide energy fast! These are used pre and post exercise for a quick energy top up.
Complex are your more starchy options (pumpkin, potatoes, pasta, grain bread) that provide energy steadily over a longer period of time.
Fruits & Veg (Fibre) - Fibre helps with digestion, creates diversity in the gut microbiome, supports healthy bowels, aids in satiety and feeds the pro-biotics in our gut. Fibre can be broken down into 'Soluble, Insoluble, and Resistant starch.
Soluble - Absorbs water and dissolves easily, forming a thick gel slowling down digestion.
Insoluble - Helps keep bowel movements regular and adds bulk to stool promoting healthy movements.
Resistant starch - Digested in the large intestine. healthy bacteria ferment this resistant starch producing a gas that keeps the lining of the bowels healthy.
Fats - Promotes general bone health and hormone health. Helps with absorption certain vitamins and minerals.
Fat takes longer to digest so it is best to avoid before and during training and competition. It is best to consume after your events as part of a balanced meal.
Whilst on the topic of balanced. It is good to chat about a 'Balanced plate" and what this means.
At meal times we want to aim for a balanced plate rich Protein, carbs, fibre and fats.
A good way to view *generalised portion control is the below model.
**Noting people who train more, will require more fuel - this is just a guideline for standard general healthy balanced plate.
We want to foster a positive relationship with our bodies and our food consumption.
It can be tricky navigating how to communicate food with our teenagers and tweens and this is where we offer consultations for this age group which aim to provide education and understanding and create healthy habits. As we often find that the kids are more receptive to taking on advice from someone that's not mum or dad (of course!)
It is particularly important to be mindful with this age group, that the people you seek advice from are qualified to do so, as this age group in particular can be at risk of disordered eating if discussions around food are not approached in the right way.
If you need help with this, please shoot me a message :)
Julia,
